Philadelphia Officials Delighted With Vatican Announcement, Say They'll Be Ready
By Mike Dunn and Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Following the official announcement this morning that Pope Francis will visit Philadelphia next September, more details are emerging about the pope's planned visit.
In a news conference at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, broadcast live on CBS and KYW Newsradio 1060, city and archdiocesan officials were celebrating the news that, after many hints and unofficial confirmations, the Vatican has confirmed the pontiff's plan to visit the City of Brotherly Love.
Officials say Pope Francis' precise itinerary is still being worked out.
It is expected that Pope Francis will be in Philadelphia September 25th through 27th for the 2015 World Meeting of Families, and that he will take part in the so-called "Festival of Families," on Saturday, September 26th, with an event on the Parkway.
On the following day, Sunday, September 27th, the pope is expected to celebrate mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Officials anticipate that the crowd could exceed the number of people who attended Pope John Paul II's mass in Philadelphia in 1979.
It was thirty-five years ago last month that Pope John Paul II came to Philadelphia, celebrating mass on the Parkway before a crowd variously estimated at hundreds of thousands to about one million.
"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Philadelphia, for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to shine on the international stage," said Dan Hilferty, chair of the event, today. "With official confirmation, it is time for all of us -- including the business and civic community-- to stand up, to come together, to ensure that this visit leaves a lasting impact. His visit makes all things possible for Philadelphia."
Although city officials have been reticent to predict the crowd size for the upcoming papal mass, Mayor Nutter today hinted that, due to safety concerns, there may be a need to limit the size of the crowd. That might entail setting up satellite locations in other locations with live video streaming.
Mayor Nutter did predict that this will be the largest event in the modern history of Philadelphia.
Donna Farrell, executive director of the World Meeting, agreed.
"Each day we expect the numbers to steadily grow in the city of Philadelphia," she said. "By the time the weekend arrives for the Festival of Families, I would expect that we would be close to if not over one million, and then Saturday, well over a million, close to two million."
The visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia, plus an anticipated one to two million visitors, would be an extraordinary event under any circumstances. But adding to security concerns will be not only the pontiff himself -- a religious and state leader -- but other accompanying dignitaries from around the US and the world.
Today, Mayor Nutter also stressed that Philadelphia would make the event both successful and safe for everyone.
The mayor said that Philadelphia police will be working with Pennsylvania state police, the FBI, the US Secret Service, other federal authorities, and authorities from Italy to ensure that the entire event goes off without a hitch.
He added that he had received the official word of Pope Francis' visit on Sunday but was sworn to secrecy, so he issued an apology:
"Mom, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you yesterday that the pope was coming."
Some local Catholic school students were on hand for today's press conference.
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Hallahan High School sophomore Marylee Palumbo says she hopes to be part of the World Meeting of Families, and even just the thought of an audience with Pope Francis left her nearly speechless:
"Oh my goodness, I don't even know, he is so great. I love him. I don't know what to say."
Fellow sophomore Jessica Konzracki said she is grateful for this day and for the opportunities the conference will offer, including seeing Pope Francis.
"It's a great priviledge to have the opportunity to do something like this, especially at our age," she told KYW Newsradio's Tony Hanson. "I remember my grandparents talking about it before, and it was just awe-inspiring really, like, you don't know what to say, just in awe of what is going on around you and the fact that the city has the opportunity to do this is just amazing. I am really glad to be a part of it."
Two other popes visited the United States before John Paul II's trip to Philadelphia in 1979. In 1965, Pope Paul VI was the first pope ever to travel to the US, but he did not visit Philadelphia. Neither did Pope Benedict XVI, who visited Washington, DC and New York in 2008.
